My Journey to Entourage Part 2

Welcome to part two of our three-part series highlighting the journey of some exceptional employees at Entourage Yearbooks. This week, we will focus on our sales team, the first group of people you may encounter when working with us. They are an incredible and dedicated team!

Haley Schweitzer, Senior Sales Representative

Prior to becoming a Senior Sales Representative with Entourage, I had a rather eclectic career path! The common thread between all of my experiences, however, has always been my passion for fostering a sense of community through creativity.

I spent 7 years with AMC Theatres, where I gained leadership experience and discovered how rewarding it is to mentor others. Over 80% of the employees I hired were high school students, many stepping into their very first job. I started working there when I was 14, myself! Coaching them and watching their confidence grow was one of the greatest honors of my career. During this time, while balancing full-time work, I pursued a degree in psychology at William Paterson University. The encouragement I received from my educators and the fulfillment I derived from coaching students during those years inspired my admiration for education and the role it plays in shaping young lives.

After AMC, I managed a Banter location, where I was responsible for both store leadership and dozens of ear piercings each day. The role deepened my appreciation for building memories and brightening someone’s day, whether it was a child’s very first piercing or helping a nervous customer feel at ease. I’m thrilled that I now get to recreate this feeling through yearbooks! One of my favorite stories is that I pierced one of my colleague’s daughters’ ears long before we ever worked together, and we only realized this a few months ago when she showed me the video.

In 2023, I was recruited to Entourage Yearbooks by a longtime friend. She spoke highly of the company, but nothing could have prepared me for the joy this role would bring. Since joining the team, I’ve completed my bachelor’s degree in psychology and have been supported through various seasons of my life by both my colleagues and the advisors I work with. The culture of kindness and teamwork at Entourage makes me proud to come to work every day.

As a Senior Sales Representative, I love having the opportunity to collaborate with educators to create yearbooks that reflect the heart of their school communities. I enjoy traveling to meet schools in new places, sharing ideas, and helping them preserve memories in creative ways. Most of all, I value the camaraderie and sense of purpose I’ve found here. I’m beyond excited to see what the future holds!

Jessica Jones, Associate Director of Sales

When I graduated from college, I wasn’t entirely sure what direction my career would take me. What I did know was that I wanted to work hard, contribute to a team, and grow into a role where I could make a real impact. That’s when I found Entourage Yearbooks.

I started on a temporary program in sales support, learning the ropes and trying to soak up as much as I could about the company, the yearbook industry, and what it meant to be part of a sales team. Six months later, I was officially onboarded as a full-time sales associate. That was both exciting and daunting. I was the “greenest” member of the team, and I had a lot to prove.

The biggest challenge came quickly: my first production season. For those unfamiliar, March through June is the busiest time of year in the yearbook world. Orders, deadlines, and questions come flying in from every direction. As a new associate, I wanted to be the best team player possible. I took on anything and everything I could. In hindsight, I definitely bit off more than I could chew, and I fell flat more than once.

But here’s what made the difference: the people at Entourage. Instead of letting me stay down, my team supported me. They encouraged me not to give up, and they gave me the training and guidance I needed to get back on track. With their mentorship and patience, I began to find my footing. By the time the next school year rolled around, I felt more confident and capable than I had ever been before.

And that hard work paid off. After experiencing what felt like “rock bottom” during that first season, I pushed through and ended up having my best sales year yet. That following summer, I was promoted to Senior Sales Rep. The summer after that, I stepped into the role of Regional Manager. Each step forward has been both humbling and motivating, a reminder that resilience and persistence really do pay off.

What excites me most about this journey is that it isn’t over. I’m grateful for the leadership at Entourage, who continue to challenge me and encourage me to climb this “yearbook ladder.” My sights are now set on one day leading the entire sales team. It feels within reach, especially with the incredible support of my coworkers and the amazing advisors I get to work alongside every day.

Looking back, I can see that my journey hasn’t been about being perfect; it’s been about learning, leaning on others when I need to, and never losing sight of where I want to go. And if there’s one lesson I’ve taken to heart, it’s this: sometimes falling on your butt is exactly what you need to find the strength to stand taller than before.

I can’t wait to see where the next chapter of Entourage takes me.

Rachel Loucks, Regional Sales Representative

I came to Entourage after leaving the classroom. I am a former special education teacher of 12 years. I left the classroom to focus on starting a family, which ended up being a difficult journey for my husband and me. After a few years, we were able to have our incredible son in September 2024. I applied for my current position while I was in the hospital the night before my son was born, and I interviewed with Entourage Yearbooks when he was just two days old. I felt like my experience in the classroom would be a great fit for the role. My son is now soon to be one, and Entourage has been a true blessing for our family. I am beyond grateful to have been chosen for the Midwest Sales position, and I truly enjoy being able to stay connected to the education field.

Michele Latwis, Midwest Regional Sales Manager

My love of books and storytelling is what first led me to Entourage Yearbooks.

Before joining Entourage, I worked as a sales consultant with Scholastic Book Fairs. That role allowed me to connect children with the joy of reading and help schools put books into the hands of students, a mission that meant a great deal to me.

To me, a yearbook is more than just photos on a page. It’s a lasting piece of a school’s story, its culture, its characters, its milestones, and its memories. When I discovered Entourage Yearbooks, it felt like the perfect next step. It combined my passion for reading, storytelling, and helping schools create something meaningful for their communities.

Now, I get to help schools produce high-quality, affordable yearbooks that make it possible for every student to take home a piece of their school story. It’s incredibly rewarding to be part of preserving those memories and celebrating the moments that make each school year special.